The First Christmas
by crazyhpcfan
Summary: Lois and Clark celebrate Christmas through various stages in their lives, from friendship, to lovers and finally as a family.
1. With Each Other

_The First Christmas With Each Other - 2004_

Clark tried not to let the news upset him. Christmas was coming, and it wouldn't do for him to be frowning on a holiday like this. But it was hard, knowing that Lois Lane was joining them for Christmas this year.

Apparently, his mom had found out that Lois didn't have anyone to celebrate the holidays with; Chloe would be with her father in Metropolis, General Lane was off on some mission in some corner of the world, and Lucy was unable to come.

Clark did feel sorry for her, not having anyone to be with on the holidays, but he didn't understand why she had to join them instead of going with Chloe.

"Smallville, why do you look like you've swallowed a lemon? It's Christmas; you shouldn't be so grumpy this time of the year. You're not Scrooge." The bane of his existence had arrived two minutes ago, and she was already bothering him.

"Lois, why are you staying with us? Shouldn't you be with Chloe, who is actually your family?" he asked her.

"Chloe wanted to spend some alone time with her father, and I wouldn't want to intrude," she said, a look of sadness flashing across her face. But she quickly plastered a smile on her face, attempting to play down her sadness. "Besides, it's much more fun to tease you."

Clark could easily see through her facade. He knew she was unhappy. The two of them didn't get along much, but no one should be unhappy on Christmas. So, he had to cheer her up. "Well since you are here, why don't you help me decorate?" he asked.

Lois could see what Clark was trying to do. A real smile formed on her face this time. "Okay Smallville, let's get to it."

The two of them had a lot of fun decorating. About 20 minutes in, Lois put on some Christmas carols, which both of the sang (badly) along to. The pair teased each other about their singing skills, or rather, their lack of skills. Johnathan and Martha joined in some time later and all of them had a lot of fun decorating the farm together.

"That's it," she said, warping the last bit of tinsel on the tree.

"Just the star left,"said Martha, taking it out of its box. She turned to Lois and Clark. "How about the two of you put it on the tree together?"

The two looked at each other and shrugged in unison. "Why not?" Lois asked.

They held the star and reached up and placed it on the tree.

"A beautiful tree for a beautiful Christmas," said Lois smiling.

On Christmas morning after breakfast, the group sat down to open the presents they had got. Lois was surprised to see so many presents for herself; The General didn't bother with celebrating Christmas much after his wife had died.

She had gotten a nice silk scarf from Martha and Johnathan, Chloe had give her a book she wanted, and Lucy has sent a box of Swiss chocolates. The General had forgotten, as usual. After more than a decade of this, Lois wasn't expecting anything different.

She had save Clark's gift for the last. It was a small box, neatly wrapped and tied with a perfect blue ribbon. "Did you get this wrapped at the store Smallville? I don't think you could do such a professional job," she teased.

Clark huffed as his parents laughed. "Just open the present Lois."

Lois open the present carefully, it didn't seem right to just tear apart such a nice wrapping. (It was Christmas, she was allowed to be sappy for once.) She pulled out a bottle of perfume.

"Why thank you Smallville," she opened up the bottle and sniffed at the perfume. It was an exotic sent, and she couldn't place it.

"Wild orchid," Clark clarified. "I choose it, because it's exotic like you."

She smiled at that. She didn't think that Clark Kent cold be capable of something so thoughtful, but the farmboy tended to surprise her so many times. "Thanks Smallville," she said.

Clark then opened the present Lois had given him. It was a nice photo frame, but it was the picture in the frame that caught his attention. It was a picture of himself and Lois. There were in the middle of a game of 'splash each other with the hose', and both of them looked as if they were having the time of their lives. Clark suspected that his mom had taken the picture.

"Smallville, I want this picture to remind you that you _can_ smile, that you _can_ have fun. You just need to do that more often; and not have the weight of the world on your shoulders. Promise me that you won't mope so much would you?"

Clark smiled at her. "I promise Lois."


	2. Without Johnathan

_The First Christmas Without Johnathan - 2006_

It was the first time he was celebrating Christmas without his father. It felt so wrong. How could anyone expect him to be cheerful and happy when he no longer had his dad?

And it was all his fault that Johnathan Kent was no longer around. Sometimes Clark wondered how his mom could still look at him and not feel any disgust. Maybe that's why she spent so much time around the Senator's office, so that she wouldn't have to face him.

Everyone seemed to be so busy this year. Chloe and Jimmy with the Daily Planet, Lois and Oliver with each other and his mother with Senate duties. She would be here on Christmas, but not much before that. And Lana and Lex wouldn't come within a 5 mile radius of the farm.

He would be alone for the holidays. _Just as I'm destined to be,_ he thought forlornly. _Who in their right mind would want to spend any amount of time with an alien freak?_

He was decorating the farm in an attempt to make it look cheerful, although he didn't feel like celebrating. He saw Shelby sitting down, looking rather listless. He let out a whine as he saw Clark.

"I know buddy," said Clark, as he patted Shelby. "Christmas isn't much fun with just the two of us."

He remembered how he used to decorate the farm with his parents. Each decoration he put up alone was a sharp reminder of the fact that his father was dead, and his mother was also absent.

It was then her heard the car rumble down the long road to the farm house. Shelby's ears pricked,and he gave a joyful bark, as if glad that there would be someone else in the house.

As soon as he heard the heartbeat, he knew who it was. Lois. Clark sometimes wondered why he could only ever identify Lois' heartbeat. Well, he could also identify his mother's, but it required much more concentration.

He heard Lois mumbled something under her breath as she climbed out of her car. A smile formed on his face. He was glad that Lois decided to drop by, even if it was for a little while. Shelby shared the same sentiment. He bounded out the door to great Lois, joyfully barking all the time.

"Whoa there! Down boy! This is a new blouse and I don't want it messed up so soon!" yelled Lois.

She walked into the house with a much happier Shelby in tow. Clark's smile widened as he saw her dressed in festive red and green.

"Happy to see me Smallville?" asked Lois, a smirk on her face.

"I am," said Clark, "But aren't you supposed to be spending Christmas with Oliver?"

She frowned at that. "Apparently something came up, and was going to be busy for most of the holidays. So rather than being by myself, I decided to come here. Thought you might need some cheering up."

Clark smiled and said, "Thanks so much for this Lois." Inwardly, he was extremely disappointed in Oliver,letting Lois down like this _again_. He just couldn't understand how Oliver could abandon Lois for what he strongly suspected was hero work, and on Christmas of all times.

"So, let's get to work then," said Lois. Clark nodded and joined her, his heart already lighter.

As per their tradition, they played Christmas carols as they worked. Soon, they had finished decorating; all that was left was the star on the tree.

"Let's do it like we always do," said Lois.

"We only did it twice, and already you're say always?" asked Clark.

"Well with this, it'll be three times. And third times the charm, they say. From now, it'll be tradition."

Smiling,they picked up the star together and placed it on the tree. At that moment, both of them knew that no matter what, they would always be there for the other.

Their Christmas celebration was much smaller this time, with only three of them, and as the loss of Johnathan Kent was still felt by all, none was in the mood to really celebrate.

Shortly after, Martha went back to bed, leaving Clark and Lois sitting on the couch watching _It's a Wonderful Life_. About the time George saw his brother's grave, Clark paused the movie. He turned to Lois; there was something that he really needed to ask her.

"Lois, have you ever wondered what the world would be like without you in it?"

Lois turned to look at him worried. She didn't like the tone he used. "No,I have never really given it much thought, have you?"

Clark nodded. "I have, and I really think that everyone would be better off without me." If he didn't exists, there wouldn't have been any need for Jor-El and Lara to have send him Earth. No meteor shower. So many lives would have remained intact. His parents could have adopted a nice, normal child.

Most of all, his dad would still be alive.

"Do you really believe that?" Lois asked upset.

His lips pursed, Clark nodded. Suddenly he felt his frame being enveloped in Lois' arms. "I'm really sorry you feel that way Smallville," she said. "But you don't have to. You're such a good person, you've helped so many people. I'm sure that there are several people who are better off because you are hear. I know I am."

Her words were like a balm on his heart and soul. He leaned closer into her and whispered, "Thank you Lois."

Clark couldn't tell how long Lois held him. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours. But at the end of it, he felt much better. He smiled at her and said "Let's finish the movie."

Lois nodded. As the movie ended, Lois made a vow. She would never give Clark a reason to doubt that he was needed, that he was loved. She would make sure of it.


End file.
